In Egypt, two more journalists killed, several injured

New York, August 15, 2013--At least two more
journalists have been reported killed and several others injured in Wednesday's
clashes between Egyptian security forces and supporters of ousted President
Mohamed Morsi.

Security forces stormed pro-Morsi
sit-ins at Rabaa Al-Adawiya in Cairo and Nahda Square in Giza on Wednesday using
tear gas and live ammunition. More than 600 civilians were killed and almost
4,000 injured, according to the Egyptian
Health Ministry. Several journalists reported being attacked,
threatened, or obstructed in the violence, and cameraman Mick Deane of Sky
News was killed.

The three journalists killed
Wednesday bring to nine the total
killed in Egypt since CPJ began keeping detailed records in 1992. Eight of
them were killed since the beginning of the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak
in 2011.

"Wednesday was
the deadliest day on record for journalists in Egypt, and the threat of
violence is unlikely to dissipate soon," said CPJ's Middle East and North Africa Coordinator Sherif Mansour. "Authorities must set a firm precedent by conducting a thorough
investigation and holding those responsible to account."

The state-run Al-Akhbar newspaper said that one of its reporters, Ahmed Abdel Gawad, was
killed while covering the raid on Rabaa Al-Adawiya. News accounts reported
that Gawad had been shot dead.

Gawad was also working for the organization's
TV station, Misr25, as an editorial manager, according to news outlets
affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and Ahmed Subaie, a spokesman for the organization,
who spoke to CPJ.

Mosaab al-Shami, a photographer for the
local Rassd News Network, was shot in the chest by a sniper while trying to
escape gunfire during the raid on Rabaa Al-Adawiya, according to the network's
director, Smahy Mustafa. The Rassd network has sharply criticized the ouster of
Morsi.

Egyptian Prosecutor-General Hisham Barakat opened
an investigation today into the killing of journalists, news reports
said.

Several journalists were also injured in
the violence. The Egyptian human rights group Association for Freedom of
Thought and Expression reported 31 separate violations against local journalists,
including attacks and confiscation of press equipment. CPJ documented several
of these cases on Wednesday.

Tariq Abbas, an editor for Al-Watan,
was shot yesterday in the face with a shotgun while covering Rabaa al-Adawiya,
the newspaper reported. Alaa al-Qamhawy, a photographer for Al-Masry Al-Youm,
was shot in the foot on Wednesday while covering the raid, according to news reports. He underwent surgery today.

At least two journalists remain
in custody after being detained yesterday. Al-Jazeera reported
today that authorities have not disclosed the whereabouts of its correspondent,
Abdullah al-Shami, who was arrested on Wednesday at Rabaa al-Adawiya. An
Egyptian freelance photographer, Mahmoud Abou Zeid, was detained by police and
held in Cairo stadium. He has not yet been released.

International journalists have
expressed their concern about tightening restrictions in the country.
Freelancer Ian Lee reported on Twitter that several journalists had their photographic equipment
confiscated upon arrival at the airport. At least two journalists said on
Twitter that the government-run Cairo Press Center was denying and refusing to
renewpress credentials to international journalists. An employee of the
press center who declined to give his name told CPJ that credentials were being
issued, but that they take a few days to process because of "security
procedures." He did not elaborate.

International journalists operating
in Egypt without press credentials are at greater risk of harassment,
detention, and even violence. With the newly implemented state of emergency,
press credentials would also allow journalists to pass through checkpoints
after curfew.

CPJ released a special report yesterday called "On the Divide:
Press Freedom at Risk in Egypt." The report chronicles how both the Morsi
administration and the current government have disappointed the high hopes for
press freedom in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution that ousted Hosni
Mubarak.